Kirashi closed both of his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.
~~~ 12 years ago ~~~
It was a hot summer day. Young Kirashi was playing baseball with his dad in their original home in Okinawa.
Mr. Kiraghie: 1... 2... Hah!
Mr. Kiraghie, the pitcher, threw the ball gently toward Kirashi. Kirashi swung—but missed.
Young Kirashi: You said it wouldn't be too fast!
Mr. Kiraghie: That wasn't!!
Young Kirashi: Again!
Mr. Kiraghie: Okay! Hahaha!
This time, Mr. Kiraghie pitched again, and Kirashi managed to hit the ball.
"Hoh! Nice hit, son!"
Young Kirashi: That's way too easy!
Mr. Kiraghie (sweating): Hehe...
Then, by the door, a frail green-eyed woman called out to the two of them.
"Oi! Let's eat!"
The young Kirashi turned to the woman, calling out to her.
"Mama!"
It was Mrs. Kiraghie
Kirashi ran to hug his mom, who had just finished cooking lunch.
Mr. Kiraghie wiped the sweat from his forehead as he approached his wife and son, checking on his ailing wife as she stood by the doorway.
"How are you feeling, hon?"
"I'm good, no worries."
She smiled, comforting and assuring.
In the present, Kirashi reminisced about the moments he once shared with his real parents.
"Mom was sick. I never knew what her disease was. I remember seeing her in the hospital a few days before that."
He thought to himself.
The family sat down to eat together. Suddenly, Mrs. Kiraghie began coughing and quickly stood up. Mr. Kiraghie rushed to help her toward the sink.
Meanwhile, young Kirashi trembled as he looked down at his hands. Lips clenced, forehead sweaty.
"Is Mama gonna be okay?"
~~~August 27, 2157~~~
It was another hot summer day. Kirashi's father had gone out for work, leaving Kirashi to take care of his mom.
"Mama! Papa just left."
Mrs. Kiraghie: Okay, thank you for letting me know, darling.
Kirashi smiled at his mom, who was lying in bed. She smiled back. Suddenly, Mrs. Kiraghie started coughing badly. Kirashi quickly grabbed a glass of tap water and gave it to her.
"Thank you so much!"
She patted his head gently, she took a deep breath.
"Son—"
Before she could finish all of a sudden, the doorbell rang.
She turned her head toward the bedroom door, then looked back at Kirashi once more.
"Go answer it."
Kirashi nods.
"Okay!"
Kirashi bolted out of the room, rushed through the hallway, and he slowly opened the front door.. It was a delivery boy.
"Good morning! Delivery!"
He quietly returned the delivery boy's greeting.
"Good morning..."
The delivery boy scanned the room, searching for any sign of his parents.
"Are your parents home?"
"My mom is..."
The delivery boy smiled at Kirashi as he kneeled down to his level.
"Can I see her? I need her signature for an item your father ordered."
To which, Kirashi agreed.
"Okay!"
The young Kirashi went inside to call his mom.
Suddenly, the delivery boy's phone started ringing. He answered quickly.
Voice on the phone: Have you found them?
Delivery Boy: Stop calling! You're going to jeopardize the mission! I'm going to see—The child just called his mom.
Voice on the phone: Affirmative. Don't rush it.
Delivery Boy: I know, I know!
He ended the call just as Mrs. Kiraghie arrived at the door.
Delivery Boy: Good morning, Mrs. Kiraghie! We've got something for Mr. Kiraghie. Please sign here.
Mrs. Kiraghie: What is it?
Delivery Boy: Let me see... Ah! It's a satellite dish.
Mrs. Kiraghie: I see.
She signed the paper and the delivery boy took the box inside.
Young Kirashi: What is that, Mama?
Mrs. Kiraghie: Better not touch it, son. It's your dad's things.
Young Kirashi: Okay!
~~~At Night~~~
Mr. Kiraghie just got home from work.
"I'm home!"
Miss Kiraghie and Kirashi greeted the father together as he returned home.
"Welcome home, Papa!"
Mrs. Kiraghie walked toward Mr. Kiraghie as he removed his coat as Kirashi sat on the living room table.
"Get changed, darling. Let's eat!"
"Okay... What a tiring day at work."
Mr Kiraghi replied back.
As Mr. Kiraghie removed his coat, Mrs. Kiraghie mentioned the delivery that had just arrived.
"By the way, dear, a delivery came while you were out."
"Delivery? For me? But I didn't—Hmm..."
Mr. Kiraghie quickly opened the box and checked inside. His expression instantly hardened. He stood up sharply.
"Son, dear, pack up. We have to go!"
Confused by the sudden urgency, Mrs. Kiraghie asked.
"Huh?.. What? Why so sudden?"
"U.W.D.S. got us!"
He screamed in panic.
Mrs. Kiraghie immediately understood the gravity of the situation.
"Understood. Sorry."
"Don't blame yourself. It's okay, dear. Let's go... Son! Get packed!"
As soon as they finished gathering their essentials, they headed for the front door. Mr. Kiraghie opened it—and men were waiting outside.
Without warning, one of the men fired a bullet directly into Mr. Kiraghie's head. He collapsed instantly.
"That day... my life played in slow motion. Mama ran toward me. I was frozen as my father dropped to the ground. Mama bent down and whispered,
'Run away, son! Run away, Kirashi!'"
The young Kirashi bolted for the back door, tears streaming down his face. Gunshots echoed behind him as he fled.
"Mama... Papa..."
Kirashi (narrating): Since that day, I've sworn to myself: I'll never run away again.. If only I'd known about my wind...
~~~August 29, 2157~~~
Kirashi ran north as far as he could. For two days, he traveled without eating, covering nearly 70 kilometers.
On the second day, exhausted and dehydrated, he collapsed at the foot of a mountain. His clothes were torn, his body worn down by hunger and fatigue.
Eventually, a tall man with grey hair found him. It was Windgott.
Kirashi woke up inside a hot, old hut.
"Where am I?.. It's so hot..."
His chest tightened as the memories rushed back—he needed to get away. He slipped quietly out of the hut and spotted Windgott outside, smoking.
Kirashi tried to sneak away.
"I know you're trying to leave. Go ahead."
Hushed the old man without looking at Kirashi.
Without hesitation, Kirashi ran down the mountain.
"That was unexpected."
Windgotts eyes were wide open, blinking twice in surprice.
Suddenly, a sharp cry.
"AH!!!"
"And he fell."
Windgott sighed.
Windgott walked over to the hole Kirashi had fallen into.
He looked down to see Kirashi lying on the ground, his eyes furrowed and suspicious as he asked
"Why did you help me?"
"Honestly... kids these days are so cold. What happened to you, huh?"
"Nanya."
"Nanya?"
Windgott asked.
With a cheeky smile, Kirashi replied.
"Nanya Biznez!"
Windgott gritted his teeth, slightly annoyed.
"This kid..."
Windgott grabbed Kirashi by the head and lifted him up. Kirashi tried to punch, but his fists couldn't reach. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Do you not have manners?! Where are your parents?!"
Kirashi stopped struggling. Windgott lets him go.
"They got killed."
He replied as tears slowly fell from his eyes, fist clenched tight.
"Oh... I'm sorry, kid."
He kneeled down as gently patted Kirashi's head.
"Are you hungry?"
Young Kirashi looked to the side, his right palm resting on his left forearm.
"Yes..."
Windgott offered Kirashi food. The boy devoured the fish eagerly.
"Jeez, how many days has it been since you ate? Oh well... enjoy."
He muttered with his cigarette stuck between his fingers.
Kirashi ate three whole fish in one sitting.
Windgott: So, what happened to you?
Young Kirashi: ...
"Oh... okay. We'll talk about it another time."
He said as he blew a smoke.
Surprisingly, Kirashi replied.
"U.W.D.S..."
Windgott: U.W.D.S.? That damned corporation.
Young Kirashi: They killed my parents.. I ran for two days...
Windgott patted his head again.
Young Kirashi: Mom told me to run away. That's the last time that's ever gonna happen.
Windgott: Are you sure? You might die, though.
Young Kirashi: I don't care anymore!
Windgott: Interesting. Where are you going to go then?
Young Kirashi: I... I don't know.
Windgott: Hm...
Young Kirashi: Can I stay here for tonight? Just for tonight.
Windgott: You sure? You won't be able to sleep, though.
Young Kirashi: I don't mind.
Windgott chuckled and asked for Kirashi's name.
"What's your name?"
"Kirashi.. Kirashi Kiraghie."
Windgott: Not bad, not bad. I'll call you Kira.
~~~At Night~~~
That night, under the flickering light of the old hut, Kirashi lay awake. His mind was a storm of grief and fear, memories of his parents' last moments flashing through his thoughts. The ache in his chest felt unbearable.
Windgott sat nearby, quietly tending to the fire. After a long pause, he spoke softly.
"You know, Kira, sometimes the heaviest wounds aren't the ones you can see."
Kirashi turned his head toward him, eyes still rimmed with tears.
"I don't know how to stop feeling scared... or alone."
Windgott nodded knowingly.
"Losing family... it breaks something inside. But you're not alone.. You've got me."
Kirashi's lip trembled.
"But I couldn't save them. I ran when I should've stayed."
Windgott's gaze was gentle but firm.
"Running doesn't make you weak, Kira. Sometimes survival means running, so you can fight another day. And fight you will—stronger than ever."
Kirashi wiped his tears.
"Will it ever stop hurting?"
"It will. It takes time. You have to let yourself feel, but also learn to stand again. One day at a time."
The boy looked at Windgott, searching for hope.
"You're stronger than you know. These experiences are the strength you have to keep moving, even when the world wants to break you."
Kirashi took a shaky breath.
"Thank you, Windgott... for not giving up on me."
Windgott smiled, a rare softness in his eyes.
"I didn't save you just to lose you now."
That night, for the first time since the tragedy, Kirashi felt a small flicker of peace.
A few moments later, Windgott stood outside, seemingly waiting for something.
Young Kirashi: What are you doing?
Windgott: Waiting.
Young Kirashi: Waiting for what? There's only the two of us here.
Windgott: You'll see, kid.
Suddenly, movement rustled through the forest.
"Here they come..."
From the shadows, black glowing creatures emerged—the Seeles.
"Earth type! Good."
With a swift motion, Windgott summoned a fierce gust of wind, quickly taking down the Seeles.
Young Kirashi: W-What were those?!
Windgott: Those black glowing things? Seeles.
Young Kirashi: No, I meant the wind!
Windgott: The wind? Wait... Don't you know about elemental powers?
Young Kirashi: Elemental powers?
Windgott chuckled as he muttered.
"You must've come from a stable family."
"Teach me about them."
Kirashi hushed with determination.
"W-Well, do you even know your elemental type?"
More Seeles poured out of the forest. Windgott swiftly dispatched them again.
Young Kirashi: Elemental type?
Windgott: Yeah—Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and so on.
Young Kirashi: I... I'm not sure.
Windgott: Okay, put your palm out.
Kirashi raised his hand, opening his palm.
"Now... what do I do?"
"Just stare at it."
Young Kirashi: What?
"Just kidding. Try putting some force into it."
Kirashi closed his palm.
Windgott: Not like that! Open it again... Ah! Do you know what you do when you're pooping? Do that with your hand.
Young Kirashi: What?!
Windgott sighed.
"Ah, nevermind. It'll come with enough battling Seeles."
Suddenly, Kirashi's legs gave out beneath him, and he passed out.
~~~To be Continued~~~